1 Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation; and I put before them the good news which I was preaching among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were of good name, so that the work which I was or had been doing might not be without effect. 3 But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was made to undergo circumcision: 4 And that because of the false brothers let in secretly, who came searching out our free condition which we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might make servants of us; 5 To whom we gave way not even for an hour; so that the true words of the good news might still be with you. 6 But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me; 7 But, quite the opposite, when they saw that I had been made responsible for preaching the good news to those without circumcision, even as Peter had been for those of the circumcision 8 (Because he who was working in Peter as the Apostle of the circumcision was working no less in me among the Gentiles); 9 When they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision; 10 Only it was their desire that we would give thought to the poor; which very thing I had much in mind to do. 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I made a protest against him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For before certain men came from James, he did take food with the Gentiles: but when they came, he went back and made himself separate, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews went after him, so that even Barnabas was overcome by their false ways. 14 But when I saw that they were not living uprightly in agreement with the true words of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, being a Jew, are living like the Gentiles, and not like the Jews, how will you make the Gentiles do the same as the Jews? 15 We being Jews by birth, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Being conscious that a man does not get righteousness by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we had faith in Christ Jesus, so that we might get righteousness by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law will no flesh get righteousness. 17 But if, while we were desiring to get righteousness through Christ, we ourselves were seen to be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? In no way! 18 For if I put up again those things which I gave to destruction, I am seen to be a wrongdoer. 19 For I, through the law, have become dead to the law, so that I might be living to God. 20 I have been put to death on the cross with Christ; still I am living; no longer I, but Christ is living in me; and that life which I now am living in the flesh I am living by faith, the faith of the Son of God, who in love for me, gave himself up for me. 21 I do not make the grace of God of no effect: because if righteousness is through the law, then Christ was put to death for nothing.
Galatians · Bible in Basic English
Galatians 2 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Titus
A Greek coworker of Paul, not compelled to be circumcised, who carried Paul's letters to Corinth, and whom Paul left in Crete to set things in order.
Cited in the guide: 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 8:23; Galatians 2:3
Places
Antioch (Syrian)
The empire's third-largest city and the first major Gentile church — the launching base for Paul's journeys. (Distinct from Pisidian Antioch.)
Cited in the guide: Acts 11:26; Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 2:11
Cross references (21)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 2:3; Acts 15:2–4; Acts 14:12; 2 Corinthians 8:16; Galatians 2:13
- 2 Galatians 2:6; Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:26
- 3 Acts 16:3; Galatians 5:2–6; 1 Corinthians 9:20–21; 2 Corinthians 2:13; Acts 15:24
- 4 Galatians 5:1; Jude 4; 2 Peter 2:1–2; 1 John 4:1; Galatians 5:12–13
- 5 Galatians 4:16; Galatians 2:14; Colossians 2:4–8; Colossians 1:5; Jude 3
- 6 Galatians 2:2; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; 2 Corinthians 12:11; 2 Corinthians 11:5
- 7 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Acts 9:15; 1 Timothy 2:7; Galatians 1:16; Acts 13:46–48
- 8 Acts 22:21; Acts 9:15; Acts 15:12; Acts 2:14–41; Acts 21:19
- 9 Romans 12:3; Revelation 3:12; Ephesians 3:8; Galatians 2:2; Acts 15:22–30
- 10 1 John 3:17; Hebrews 13:16; Acts 24:17; 2 Corinthians 8:1–9; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2
- 11 1 Timothy 5:20; Galatians 2:14; Acts 15:1; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Galatians 2:5
- 12 Acts 10:28; Luke 15:2; Ephesians 3:6; Acts 11:2–3; Matthew 26:69–75
- 13 1 Corinthians 15:33; Hebrews 13:9; Ephesians 4:14; Ecclesiastes 10:1; Genesis 12:11–13
- 14 Acts 10:28; Galatians 2:5; Acts 15:10–11; 1 Timothy 5:20; Proverbs 2:7
- 15 Ephesians 2:3; Titus 3:3; Romans 3:9; Ephesians 2:11–12; Philippians 3:4
- 16 Philippians 3:9; Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:19–28; Romans 9:30; 1 Peter 1:18–21
- 17 Romans 6:1–2; 1 John 3:8–10; 1 John 3:5; Galatians 2:15; Matthew 1:21
- 18 Galatians 4:9–12; Galatians 2:4–5; Galatians 2:12–16; Romans 14:15; Galatians 2:21
- 19 Romans 7:4; Romans 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Romans 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:15
- 20 Galatians 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 6:4–6; Colossians 3:3–4; 2 Corinthians 4:10–11
- 21 Romans 11:6; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 7:11; 1 Corinthians 15:14; Galatians 2:16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… that Paul alone knew the truth, and that to him the mystery was manifested by revelation, let Paul himself convict them, when he says, that one and the same God wrought in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, and in himself for the Gentiles. Peter, therefore, was an apostle of that very God whose was also Paul; and Him …
… the Son is the work of the Father, since it is written, "Who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all;" and that the Passion of the Son was His own work also, "Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." The Father delivered up the Son, and the Son delivered up Himself.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"For He that wrought effectually in Peter," it is said, "to the apostleship of the circumcision, was mighty also in me towards the Gentiles." For since on seeing the Son, they were wroth and slew Him, He bids them again by His servants.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
But I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that Gospel which I preached among the Gentiles." And again he says, "For an hour we did give place to subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." If, then, any one shall, from the Acts of the Apostles, carefully scrutinize the time concerning which it is …
But the Apostle says, "If righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain." What the Apostle says of the Law, that say we of nature to these men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)